Badgermole
by DarkPriestessOfHyrule
Summary: an elaborate ruse is made and the stage is set...only the leading lady isn't Korra but rather the 'Equalized' ex-chief of police who wants her pound of flesh and is willing to bet the only thing she has left in exchange for the airbenders' freedom. In the end will all of them make it out in time or will the Avatar loose something else important? Rated M: Extreme Violence


_*****Behold you bards sing of a tale of blood and healing, savagery and a righteous will to protect what will never belong to you.******_

**A/N: READ: Have a heart guys! You are making me do a lot of 'firsts': new category now the longest fight I have ever written and the hmm…second most amount of broken stuff. My fights are usually short and to the point, we get nitty gritty here and I am nervous because "Of Ramen and Roses" and "A Classy Lady" were the two aces up my sleeve and both are gone. Don't be expecting hugs and kisses here…okay maybe two hugs. On another note I am not a doctor or have I really studied any human stuff but I am pretty sure Lin shouldn't have been able to stand at **_**that**_** point…or live, but I made her get up and live through it. Unrealistic I know but it's fan FICTION, not OOC, and I get to do what I want. Also keep in mind the state she was in before the battle started-only a Beifong would be that bloody stubborn, now read and hope you like it because I worked WICKED hard on it. (pretty hard sitting around plotting fight scenarios stressing out over this fics reception). Oh! I doubt Amon would really kick that much butt (then again LoK is a kids show at that time so the extent of his attacks are blocking) shutting up now. *shuts eyes tight and crosses fingers***

**Song playing while I was writing this:** _Prince of the Starlight- Luca Turilli, Ghost Love-Nightwish_

**WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE, Mild Language**

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Lin Beifong had not until this moment known the reason why Amon didn't kill her or throw her with the other prisoners after he took her bending. She was chained to the wall in her own cell left with little food for weeks with nothing but her thoughts for company. The woman had no knowledge of the happenings outside her cell, she didn't know if the Avatar was safe or if she had destroyed enough airships. She relived every second of that day in her mind; keeping the Equalists out of the temple, the airships-_ 'she could have ducked that attack'_ or _'she could have jumped this way to have a clear shot at so and so'_. even with these thoughts, she felt an odd peace despite being empty. She had done everything she could to the best of her strength and was that not what one should strive for? Her armor much to her horror had been sawed off because she could no longer metalbend. The pieces were tossed out leaving her in black pants and a form fitting white tank top which was now loose on her and was stained by sweat and blood. She was happy she hadn't gotten the worst treatment of the prisoners, it seemed most of the time she was left alone. She had been alone for twenty years, she could survive until Amon's defeat. She hadn't been given any food the past four days and had only been taken down from the wall where her limbs were spread by chains once a day which she was sure had caused damage to the joints in her arms and legs. At the weeks end two guards finally entered her cell and unchained her leading her down a series of passageways until they went down a long narrow hall which had a bright light at the end of it.

The Chief raised a hand to shield her eyes as a bright light assaulted her vision which had gotten used to being in the dark while also aware of a loud din of many people. She lowered her hand to see Amon standing in the center of the stage with his hands clasped behind his back. She felt as if she had swallowed lead when she realized what was happening. She was live entertainment like Zolt but she had no idea what he had planned since Zolt had fought to keep his bending and she had no bending left to fight for. He was a fool if he thought she was going to be parading herself around like a dancing rabaroo. She was brought back to the present when Amon started to speak-some drivel about how benders are the reason for any decline and kept nonbenders from prospering and his so called 'being gifted by the spirits' shit. So, they brought her here to executed- her death by way of boredom.

"-the spirits have given me these powers for a purpose, for service. In my service to the prosperity of our great nation and my mission for equality. My first task will be to rid the world of the benders- impurity- and I will start here in Republic City, with ending the airbenders for good." he gestured with his hand to the opposite side of the stage where the spotlight shined to show four airbenders tied to poles and gagged.

"No!" the word tore from her throat before she could stop it. How was this possible?!

"You have an objection to my freeing these poor souls of the illness that plagues them? You would deny them being cured?"

"You're not going to lay one hand on them while I'm here!"

"Very well…perhaps we shall settle this as…equals." the words sounded sick coming from him. Hypocrite! Give her some food then they would _really_ be on equal footing but she would be the winner. "You yourself seemed all too eager to give up your bending so you have nothing worth wagering. Instead of your bending shall we wager these airbenders? If you can defeat me they will be freed."

"I will beat you." she said gravely.

"You will try." he no doubt smiled behind his mask. "I am not without mercy though." suddenly she saw the guard behind her slid a whip and dagger across the floor so both laid at her feet.

Lin caught Tenzin looking at her with wide eyes, a sign that either he was worried for her or he was wondering how a starved woman without bending who could barely stand could save them. Jinora was turned to Ikki as if trying to offer comfort despite being gagged and tied like the rest of them. What seemed to become a breakthrough at how high the stakes were was when she saw Meelo looking at her with tears in his eyes. Something seemed to possess her in that moment making her bend down and pick up the whip and dagger. How humorous of him giving her such a heavy whip- it felt like metal, an element she could no longer wield. She felt empty holding it, she could feel nothing. What was giving her this strength, this determination? Perhaps it was the stubbornness she inherited from her mother that drove her. She was unsure, all she knew was that she had to keep Amon away from them. She didn't think of Tenzin or even Pema wherever she was- but it was the children that she had to protect. She remembered how bending truly completed her, especially at their age when they were still wide eyed, learning and getting use to their abilities. Having her bending ripped away left her with such an aching void in her soul. She refused to let those children suffer the same fate!

The whip had sounded with a satisfying crack as she tried it experimentally before she turned and in several steps proceeded her attack. The beast side stepped each time until he finally moved right in front of her attack grabbing the end of the long whip and ripping it in his direction pulling her along with it. Lin had barely missed a gloved fist hitting her, using opening it left she delivered a hard knee to his groin and an upper hook punch to his gut. Amon grunted not fully doubling over as he leaned forward before he caught her wrist, pulling it back and backhanding her with enough force to knock her to the ground. She had been unable to block the kick to the face which snapped her head back splitting her lip and making her mouth fill with the taste of blood from biting her tongue- her nose luckily wasn't broken but it was now bleeding out. The ex -chief rolled out of the way of his next kick and pulled herself quickly to her feet blocking another attack with the long handle of the whip. She then brought the weapon in an upward motion striking him at a slant from hip to shoulder making him stagger back a step. This monster would get to those airbenders over her dead body. She had nothing to loose but her prize would be to save them and her last breath would go to either killing him or taking as many of his limbs along with her as she could. She had no bending to fight him with, only uncle Sokka's fisticuffs lessons she took with Bumi because she hadn't liked him knowing something she did not and rubbing it in. Amon used her second long pause to jam her shoulder back painfully with a force that mere inches over would have dislocated it. She quickly caught his outstretched arm trapping it in a vise grip against her chest by bending her own, holding it firmly pinned while sending her fist crashing into his face. She had not been prepared for the thickness of his mask however which resulted in his mask having a crack down the side that was dripping with her blood. She cursed her lack of bending, her weakened starved state. Beifongs were not helpless, she would beat him!

"Truly our esteemed chief's determination is admirable but it is all for naught and misdirected as she continues to fight for those who oppress us." Amon called out to the assembly.

"You corrupt bastard! I won't let you get to them!" Lin struggled when she noticed he had turned the vice grip against her pulling it in a way that made her cry out in pain when she felt her elbow pop. With dagger in hand she thrust the blade several times in his side hitting a cuirass most of the time but she felt two of her hits land between them. He pulled the dagger from her hands and threw it out of her reach where it skidded towards the tied up and gagged airbending family. Amon gave one more hard pull at her dislocated elbow before sending his head cracking into hers and throwing her free where she rolled across the stage landing a ways away closer to Tenzin on all fours. Using the momentum she launched herself forward determined not to give him a single second to pat himself on the back . Blood was pouring down from a long gash across her forehead almost blinding her but she wiped a trail of red away with the side of her arm letting out a growl of anger from the back of her throat as she maneuvered herself between Amon and the airbenders taking a stance to ready herself for the next attack. An amusing thought came to her when she realized her blocking stance had been learned from when her mother had taken her for the first time to see the badgermoles. The cave had been almost impossible to see in but she could still feel them and imitate them. She remembered bonding with the creatures, adults and kits alike and that some of her best memories had been of her and her mother's visits to the caves. She smiled through blood stained teeth when she realized she was a badgermole protecting her young at this moment. The children might not be her little pups but they were fellow benders in danger, unable to defend themselves. They were the pups of a friend and even if she didn't have any of her own Lin would fight for them like they were. Her eyes scanned to locate where her weapons were- the whip was out of reach but if she rushed forward she could get to the dagger before he did.

"You have been equalized Miss Beifong, you do not need to fight for these _benders_." Amon said slowly walking towards them. "What have they done for you? What has _he_ done for you? You are no longer one of them, you do not need to be blinded by the corrupt ways of those monsters. Join your brothers and sisters-the nonbenders- and help us bring forth a new utopia."

Even as she answered she felt her heart ache at the mention of Tenzin. How dare he bring that up! Tenzin might not have chosen her but he was saving an entire race and he certainly made a hell of a lot better council member than most of that sorry lot. "You are the only monster here Amon! You are nothing but a coward and a deceiver who thinks destroying anyone who is different whether innocent or not will make your so called utopia! A _merciful_ leader who attacks children?! You're sick!" the older woman spat in his direction before racing forwards and diving for the fallen blade, snatching it and moving to stand again. Her body burned with pain and breathing made her think she might have a couple broken ribs. She didn't have armor and was weak from hunger and blood loss making every blow seem to break something else. Every attack counted and she needed to use them wisely not knowing how long her strength would hold up. _Think Lin! _Her mind raced for a solution as she stopped for a moment to catch her breath._ Protect them!_ Running blindly at him was foolish but she had no other option with the whip out of reach and nothing but a dagger in hand. She winced at the next thought: _What would Bumi do in this situation? He would taunt him then run up and ram him into the ground, after which he would say there were fifty more men he had to fight in order to get to his foe and that he ended up beating Amon with one hand tied behind his back._ "Since you seem to know so much about me, I am curious as to what is so fascinating about fighting children and old ladies (which she was not thank you very much!) ? Could it be your inferiority complex perhaps?" now to do a crude pro-Bumi and anti-Lin like insult:"I didn't feel much when I kneed you down there, that might also be the reason." she felt satisfaction at the gasps that went throughout the crowed. "Under that mask and armor you are nothing but a man, no matter how many of us you steal from you won't get us all!" By the time she had finished the statement she was in his arms reach clenching her hands together and in that position bringing her uninjured elbow to strike him in the muscled area between his shoulder and collar bone causing a soft groan of pain to sound from him . She move forward quickly to grasp his neck with her uninjured hand try to pull free his mask with the other. They would all know he wasn't as all powerful as he claimed to be when they saw him without his disguise.

She could tell he was getting annoyed with her determination and grabbed her by the chin raising her so her feet were a few inches off the floor before drawing her closer to him. "You're almost as stubborn as your mother. You say I am only a man but I'm not the one bleeding out all over the stage." he said soft enough for only her to hear before moving his hand so her neck was being forced to bend in the wrong direction. Centimeter by centimeter he continued tilting it with the knowledge that she could tell if he bent it much further it would break. Her teeth sank into his thick leather glove and despite no doubt being in pain by her neck one of her hands was clutching his trying to pull it away from its goal of breaking her and the other once again was trying to pull at the straps holding his mask on. He had not expected her to lean forward enough to spit in his face making him move to wipe it where she punched his inner arm with enough strength to make him drop her. It was a shame she hadn't chosen to join the Equalists, she would have made a glorious addition to his ranks that would even surpass the skills of his general. So much wasted potential, the benders had destroyed her past redemption and she would only cause him problems if he let her get away now.

Lin knew she wouldn't beat him in her weakened state but she would give the Avatar as much time as she could. Her side kick landed in his stomach but he grabbed her ankle before she could pull away twisting it painfully and with a single spin he sent her across the stage smashing her head against the concrete wall. She barely heard the hisses or saw the winces and eyes being covered from the audience at the fact that sliding down to the floor left a trail of blood from the back of her head. The dagger she had been holding had been sent off the stage and her now slack body was in a sitting position with her arms sprawled out on either side of her with her head leaning forward. It hurt so badly and she was flooded in a wave of fatigue which threatened to make her loose consciousness.

Amon glanced back at the sprawled out woman and the trail of blood before turning to face the assembly. "It is always a shame to loose a fellow warrior at arms. We do not wish to destroy all benders as this poor misguided woman claims, we would have them become like us, all of us be equal. The time of favoring benders is at an end and the suffering caused by their prejudice is over. A new era of equality and peace will be usured in because the perseverance from loyal citizens like you."

The dulled voice of Amon reached her ears as she struggled to stay awake, if she lost consciousness there would be no one to come between that mad man and Tenzin's children. _Damn badgermole instincts._ She grumbled to herself as she saw pinpricks of light dance in her vision. Her eyes could only raise enough in her weakened state to meet the youngest who looked like he was trying to tell her something and was kicking his feet. What happened to their baby and Pema? She briefly wondered until she heard a soft clanging sound and looked over to see the fallen blade had been slid across the stage and landed right by the half opened fingers of her right hand-someone from the crowed had given her the dagger. She could do it. One final salvo with everything that was left. The chief allowed herself to fall on her side, uncaring about landing on her injured arm so long as she got to him. Her recovered dagger- the tool of his demise- was held tightly in her right hand as she pulled herself across the floor on her stomach leaving blood in her wake. She had tried to raise herself with the wounded arm to keep the other free but the twisted joint gave out and she fell back on her face before forcing her shaking knees to support her and the dagger filled hand to push her up._ Damn badgermole instincts._ _Uncle Sokka give me your damned odd luck at hitting things from a distance!_ She felt her blood boil when he went on talking not even noticing she was on her feet, however unstable they were. "AMON! DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!" She screamed hurling the dagger with all her remaining strength at the leader as black started clouding her vision. She didn't hear the loud declarations of shock from the mass or see the man staggering back as sound had returned after a few seconds in time to catch the unmistakable clatter of metal hitting the floor. _I missed._ She staggered back a few steps holding her head in her hand wanting so badly to fall to her knees and give her weak legs some rest, but he would never get her to bow to him! She had barely made it mid stage when he charged the rest of the way ducking and dodging each slow weak attack she threw his way. She missed. She used the last of her energy and missed. Her vision was blurring and she felt her knees buckle in time for his foot to kick her in the gut yet again sending her rolling to land face down by the airbenders' feet. Lin's shaking hand stretched out to try and reach the whip feeling her fingertips brush against it but the contact sent the weapon further out of reach and she finally collapsed motionless.

"As I have said before it is a tragedy for the Equalists to loose a sister which today because of the benders and their lies we have. We might not have lost her had it not been for the cowardice of the Avatar who hid while others fought her battles for her. We will not deny that our esteemed chief fought bravely and if she had survived she would have made a powerful addition to our goal of freeing the land from the likes cowards like the Avatar. Again to give penance for our fallen sister I am willing to let the Avatar step forward to try and win the airbenders' freedom... or will she continue to hide?"

"I'm right here Amon!" a female voice Lin recognized as Korra's sounded from a distance. Fatigue made any conversation after a blur as if she was being held underwater. The woman just wanted to rest, her body ached and her eyes burned. She, like any smart person who hit their head knew not to sleep though because she knew with a head injury that if she did she wouldn't wake up. She wouldn't sleep but her eyes felt dry, she would just close them for a moment to restore moisture-ten seconds, she would count and as soon as she reached ten she would open them. Her attention was caught when she felt something nudging the side of her cheek. Eyes almost blinded by pain turned slightly to see a boot repeatedly tapping lightly on the uninjured part of her face. _Tenzin._ She wished he would stop, she wasn't going to pass out or anything it was only ten seconds! She let out a soft growl of annoyance when the tapping became harder every time she tried to close her eyes. She vowed after she rested her eyes she would smack that foot.

Lin not long later heard Tenzin's voice urging them to rush and she felt herself being picked up by strong hands attempting to be gentle with her but her rescuer made her head lull over his arm unintentionally. When she was taken by who she knew was Tenzin she was held against him and his scent filled her nose. It had smelled like fresh air and freedom and she burrowed into his robes trying to fall asleep but he shifted her and did that damn tapping again!

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"Give her to me." the airbender said running over to take her from Bolin who wasn't sure how to hold her and was looking rather green at all the blood that was covering his hands and arms. Tenzin took off the top red part of his airbender robes and quickly folded it holding it to the back of her head and gently took her from the boy. He held the smaller woman in his arms like a child tapping on her face with the same degree as his boot had, tapping her a little harder when her eyes started to droop closed. "Come on Lin, don't go to sleep." He couldn't believe this woman and her amazing strength! When he saw her come to the stage she looked half dead but when she saw them, something took over and she became the same hellcat she was when she had her bending, the fire returned to her eyes and she attacked with a vengeance. That monster! He, an airbender who was suppose to forgive and not let his anger take over his emotions wanted nothing more than see that man fall to Korra. She looked starved and weak and he still wanted to make an example of her! It was the lowest most inhuman depravity he had seen when her head jerked back and her face became covered in blood. She struck back, despite her weakened state. She didn't even think of her own safety as she shouted that Amon would never get to them.

Tenzin had shut his eyes tight hearing her cry out in pain trying not to look at her twisted elbow after he opened them. She had been thrown in their direction and stood up standing in front of them like some beast intent on protecting her young. That twisted fiend while striking her with one hand asked her to join them with the other. What would his father have done if he had been in his shoes and Katara was being hurt? He was no avatar but Aang would never stand for someone hurting his friends. Tenzin was too scared for her to laugh at her insult to Amon (he would probably laugh later when Lin was healed and safe) He prayed fiercely his children had their eyes closed for the next parts of the fight of his almost breaking her neck. She _still_ tried to stop him from getting to them. He had felt his bile rise and clenched his eyes closed trying to swallow the acidy taste coming to his throat when she hit the wall. _Please I beg of you, let her live!_ Somehow she had gotten her dagger back and struggled to stand-an amazing feat of determination he wasn't sure any other human possessed and hurled her blade strait at him! Now she laid in his arm a tiny human and he knew he had to save her. He was beyond a life debt, it wasn't nearly enough to ever be able to come close to repaying a grain of sand's worth of what she had done today.

Mako and Bolin (now that he wasn't holding Lin) went ahead of them clearing away any Equalists in their path coming back and rushing his family forward each carrying one of kids. Asami who now had Pema and the baby with her was making a wide gesture urging them forward as she got into a mobile and the rest of them went into the back that had stored weapons which she threw out and once they were in she sped off with a screech of tires. "What about Korra?" Tenzin asked just realizing they left her with Amon.

"She is coming behind us." Mako assured. As if Mako's words were a summon a breathless Avatar dove into the back on the wood floor panting for breath.

Tenzin missed her because he was fretting over Lin, his wife joining him holding Mako's soft material coat (happily donated) to the head wound as well. "You have to help her Korra, I don't think she is going to make it to the safe house and you are the only waterbender here." his voice had an urgency that made the Avatar flinch.

"But…But I can't, I never learned!" Korra's panicked voice sounded now wishing she hadn't completely shunned healing lessons in favor of fighting when she saw how pale the woman was. "I…can try. Does anyone have any water?" she looked around frantically trying to ignore Bolin's bloody arms as he pulled out a half full water bottle and gave it to her. She used bending to cover her hands with water like she saw a healer do once but there was no sapphire glow that their water had. "C'mon…c'mon…damn it! Come on!" she said trying to rub her hands together and shake them, anything to change the water's color. _It isn't fair! I can't let anyone else die because I am too stupid to be able to defeat him! _ Tenzin and Pema seemed to looking at her with pleading eyes, the children were in the corner holding each other with Mako trying to find some way to help the bleeding out woman while holding baby Rohan looking nervous that she couldn't do it. Bolin seemed anxious giving her a 'come on you can do it' look. _You got this. You can do it! Damn past life water avatar throw me a bone! I can't loose her!_ She cried out in surprise seeing the sapphire water covering her hands when she opened her eyes. "What do I do now?!"

"Come over here and hold it under her head." Tenzin suddenly threw his body over Lin holding her head in place to keep the sharp turn Asami had taken from jarring the weak woman, tapping her face again urgently having forgotten to do so, happy to see his wife hadn't.

Korra rushed over nervously holding out her hands as Pema removed the clothes they were using to stop the blood flow and moved the girl's hands to take its place. She tried to look around to see if she was supposed to be doing something besides holding it under her head but no one seemed to be of any help. _Come on you crazy old cow, live!_ She thought trying anything to ease her fears even if it meant using the joking name her and her friends in the water tribe used to describe one of their teachers but it wasn't working. She stared at the woman seeing her pained eyes which had been weakly looking up at her seem to relax. Korra wasn't taking any chances and held them in place for a few more minuets for good measure pulling back enough for Pema to feel it saying the woman wasn't in danger anymore. "Is there anything else I can heal? I don't know if this stuff will be here next time I try." the girl held out her blue hands.

"Heal her arm." Bolin suggested. "That thing is bent in all the wrong directions." he flinched when he looked at it being reminded of that fact.

"We need to straiten it first then Korra can heal it." Mako said. "Put-" Pema catching his thoughts took off the shawl she had been wearing and Mako gagged Lin's mouth with it telling her to bite down before grabbing the arm and with a series of pulls and jerks had straitened it seeing Pema put a comforting hand on Lin's forehead when the woman let out a muffed scream. "Okay Korra, you can do it."

"Where did you learn to do that?" the avatar asked in surprise as her hands moved up, down, and almost all the angles of the older woman's arm having built up a bit of confidence in her using healing water.

"Bo and I couldn't afford doctors." he shrugged. "I think it might be okay to let her sleep now." he looked questionably at Tenzin who nodded seeing that Lin had already lost consciousness while Korra was healing her arm.

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Lin had been barely aware of voices surrounding her that she could hardly hear. She felt herself being moved and poked, tasted disgusting things being poured down her throat but she kept loosing consciousness. It seemed like ages before Lin allowed her eyes to open slowly aware of the blurry room suddenly becoming solid and felt her body erupt into pain bringing out a groan and rousing the attention of her bedside companion who had been reading a book on the floor leaning against the side of her bed.

Korra who now had a look of horror and alarm as she met the tired eyes of Lin had tried to get up in such a hurry that her pants caught on her foot and she fell flat on her face. The waterbender didn't seem concerned with this and struggled to her feet, running to a table which had a two way radio on it and quickly turned it on. "Foxy Lady to Hothead! Do you read?!" she sounded urgent which had concerned Lin.

_"Hothead to Foxy Lady, I read you loud and clear." a male voice sounded._

"We have a 'Code Levitating Pig' I repeat we have a 'Code Levitating Pig'!"

_"Heading for position now Foxy Lady, over and out."_

Korra looked over her shoulder giving the ex-chief a anxious look, practically jumping as she waited for the second person to answer the transmition. "Foxy Lady to Pregger Lady, do you read?"

_"I told you I didn't want a nickname Korra."_ the female voice sounded older and annoyed yet like the first one sounded like static from where she was laying.

"That's Foxy Lady to you. We have a 'Code Levitating Pig'."

_"On it."_

"Tell me what is going on right now." The older woman ordered. She might be in pain but she didn't like the idea of Korra acting like that when she woke up. "Nicknames?"

"Um..code names." Korra scratched the back of her head with a smile.

"And the 'levitating pig?' clearly that has to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever he-" Lin clutched her head in her hands clenching her teeth. It hurt so badly she didn't even question what Korra was trying to make her drink-quite opposite she snatched it from the girl and downed it falling back into the bed with a sigh. Luckily the pain was dulling. At that point Asami had come in with a bowl of hot water and bandages closing the door softly behind her.

"Feeling better?" the young avatar eased up at receiving a nod. "We had to call it 'levitating pig'" the girl snorted. "They would know what it meant if we said 'Flying Boar'"

"Who-"

"Oh. Um…Mako, Pema, Asami, and I have set up a protection perimeter around your room to keep away Tenzin and Bolin. We had to drag them both out kicking and screaming. Tenzin was hovering around your bed pacing and being a total bossy pants, ordering everyone around and stuff had to be done just right-fluffed pillows and that junk. Bolin…you are kind of his new idol and he has been trying to get to you for days. Now that you're awake we will have to work extra hard to keep those two away." the girl stepped back while Asami proceeded to check some of Lin's bandages. The two ladies actually had a good bedside manner and Lin was feeling much better over the next hour or so of being treated by a couple of guilty looking girls." you should eat somethin-"

_"FOXY LADY! FOXY LADY!" The radio practically screamed._

"What is it Hothead?"

_"CUDDLE BEAR IS HEADED FOR THE HONEY, I REPEAT CUDDLE BEAR IS HEADED FOR THE HONEY!"_

Korra snarled a curse and began raising earth barriers running up to Lin and stuffing some rolled up bits of gauze in her ears much to the woman's confusion. "Brace yourself." the young girl warned, moving so that she was right at the foot of the bed taking a stance as if to stop an attack while Asami moved beside Lin looking rather worried. A huge quake outside the room made Korra almost loose her footing but caught the end of the bed in time to see her protective barriers crumble and a blur of green rush past. "No!"

The Beifong gasped out when she felt strong arms tightly hug her. "You're awake! I..I just knew it!" Bolin was sobbing as he climbed into the bed continuing to hug her from where he sat. "You….You're my hero!"

"Bo! Damn it let the woman go!" Mako ran in trying to pry his brother off while Korra tried to keep Lin steady. The earthbender was sent reeling back and a loud crack echoed of the walls. Bolin held his red cheek turning to see Lin with her hand still raised before she hissed in pain and brought it back clenched against her chest realizing that based on the bandages around her knuckles that it must have been the fist that cracked Amon's mask .

"Thank you." Bolin said pulling back and blushing. "I…I got slapped…by…the same woman who kicked Amon in the balls!" he squealed.

"Gah! Forget ever learning metalbending you oaf! That pitch will bend it just fine." The woman growled happy Korra had stuffed gauze in her ears unable to imagine the pain her head would have been in if she got a full blast of that pitch.

"I'm sorry! I am just so happy and you are just so awesome. Well I guess you were always awesome-I just want you to be better so I can hug you!" he began rambling. "You just fulfilled the fantasies of half of Republic City on stage then insulted him!"

"You mean getting my butt handed to me?"

"No-well you got-um..I mean..but you kicked his balls and then said he had none! Then you punched him-" He imitated with a pulled back fist. "- and you were down but you were all like 'oh no you don't Amon!' and you got back up and kicked more butt. Then you took the whip and-" Bolin had been about to show that too as Mako had been trying to drag his brother out the door and the avatar moved forward and began readjusting the wounded woman so she was arranged comfortably again.

Once the boy had been dragged out Korra looked at her with concern. "Sorry…oh man... I wasn't expecting him to bloody dive on top of you! Are you okay?"

"-AND THE DAGGER THING! IT FLEW AND JUST-" Bolin's voice yelled down the hall.

"BO!" Mako snarled.

"WHEN YOU GET BETTER CHIEF I GOT TO ASK YOU TO MARRY ME-" a pause was heard followed by a crash. "-AND GET YOUR AUTOGRAPH!"

"TENZIN! LEAVE HER BE!" Pema's voice shouted making Asami run out of the room and Korra dive for the door, slamming it shut. A table was then moved to block it and the girl raised more barriers before returning to sit by the bed pausing to catch her breath.

"Remind me to never get sick in this mad house." Lin shook her head looking down to see she was almost completely covered in bandages and had her arm in a cast and sling set so firmly in place she knew even Bolin probably wouldn't have been able to move it an inch. That boy definitely did not know his own strength. A bright note was that he hadn't upset her arm (any more than it already was) and rather than actually 'dive on top of her' he had dragged her into his lap. She really hoped she wouldn't have to deal with any more 'fans' after Amon was beaten. Several layers of cloth bandages were wrapped around her head, and she winced touching her bruised neck. Had it really happened? It was so strange to realize that her arm had been warped to the point of being 'bent in all the wrong directions' throughout the battle and she hadn't even cared. Her adrenalin was keeping them all safe, she wouldn't of let them get hurt. And Tenzin…stupid damn tapping. Now that she was coherent she realized those ten seconds would have been longer if he hadn't been keeping her awake the whole time. "Avatar, I wanted to thank you for saving me." she finally said.

Korra seemed surprised by this. "Why are you thanking me?! You were the one who saved everyone while I sat around. We came in around the time he had you by the neck but Mako held me back from helping and I just…watched." she hung her head. "I'm useless. I couldn't even get a single hit on him. I'm the Avatar, I'm supposed to be this big powerful force with a bunch of past lives but I can't even airbend. Tarrlok was right. Amon just does this stuff for the hell of it and his stupid utopia and I am always a step behind him."

"Mako was right to hold you back, you would have played right into Amon's hands. He wants to prove that benders are a bunch of evil brutes and here the avatar would come stomping in proving his point."

"His point is a load of- it's stupid! It should have been me that was trying to fight to save Tenzin and the kids not you and if it wasn't for me not being there you wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"I highly doubt that." Lin said dubiously.

"But…watching you fight was amazing." Korra looked her in the eye with happiness. Not Bolin's insane glee, but someone contented and actually in awe.

"I was on my back half the time girl."

"No…well you were-" she paused with a blush. "But it wasn't that. You just kept getting up, and you didn't back down even when-" she looked down at the clasped hands in her lap rather than in the 'Equalized' woman's eyes. "I wish I could be like you."

There was a long lapse of silence which the ex-chief didn't know how to break until a thought came to her head. "What was that boy talking about the 'dagger thing'?"

"The dagger thing?" Korra looked gobsmacked. "You're kidding right?"

"Yes! I put all my energy into an attack and missed!"

"NO YOU DIDN'T!" the waterbender erupted out of her seat with a wide gesture of her arms to make the point but quickly backed off when she realized she had practically yelled that. "You didn't see it?!"

"Not really, between the blackouts and blood I just heard metal clattering."

"By the spirits! It was the most...- I can't even-You were down! We thought you were actually dead, but you just crawled and pulled yourself up and after screaming you threw the dagger across the stage and it landed HILT DEEP right here!" she pointed to the area between her left shoulder and her chest.

"So I did miss." Lin shook her head. She could have hit him in the heart if she had been able to see through the blood. _Uncle Sokka you are too lucky for normality but I still didn't quite hit him though._

"I don't think you did." Korra said softly sitting on the side of the bed. "I think you got him, and in front of everyone. No one knows what his face looks like, he says he has all these spiritual powers, and no one, not even the Avatar could hit him. To everyone he became some sort of god like figure that no one could ever hope to beat-I..I was one of them." she barely whispered. " You didn't even have your bending and you were barely standing but you hit him. Everyone thought he was invincible but when he pulled that dagger out and it was covered in blood…" she paused before looking at Lin. "You made him mortal, you showed them all he was just a man in a mask and that he could be beaten." Korra felt nervous at first but she finally reached over and gave Lin a comforting hug which she was surprised to see that the woman didn't let go but weakly leaned into it.

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**A/N: *sobs* I had a time limit if I wanted to get this published for you so my ending was rushed. Well I was going for the fluffy Korra scene (Bolin needed to be in there) I loved the beginning of the fic though, very dramatic. (Amon might have lost a few followers because of that though) I liked what Korra said at the very end. Did you guys actually read that? Nice. Please comment nicely, this fic is the first of its kind for me. I put more bloody effort into it than a chapter of Immortal Vice. Another thing was the repetition of..addressing like using 'she' or 'her' too many times for Lin since usually we would have 'metalbender, earthbender, bender,' so it was harder. Lin is my hero 3 I think this might have been a decent way to show it.**

**-Priestess **


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